I’ve been trying out different pencils and techniques, which makes for pages that don’t completely match. But seeing as how I can’t really draw in any style other than my own (no matter how much I may desire to draw like Gene Colan – see below) the artwork all fits together all right.

One thing I’ve been experimenting with is different pencils. I drew page 9 with a 4B, which I kind of liked, but I tend to accidentally smear it a lot. At the end of the day, it looks like I can get the best image with your regular, old number 2B.

I also revised the first three pages using a nicer font called “Unmasked” that I found for free on Blambot. (Thank you!)

These first five pages form the prologue of the the story, and, allowing for the fact that I’m sketching on 8 1/2″ x 11″ size paper (most comic books are drawn on 11″ x 17″) I’m pleased with how things are turning out. To get more detail in the drawings I considered turning the paper horizontally and then using the two-tiered, horizontal format (see this post by Warren Ellis) but the horizontal format always reminds me of the Sunday funnies – which are great, but not the type of design I feel like playing with.

I know what you’re thinking: get bigger paper. But I’m not going to actually get bigger paper because I don’t have a bigger scanner. (There’s a joke full of sexual innuendo in there somewhere).

With luck I’ll have time to draw the next couple of pages this week, introducing our protagonists.

Thanks for reading! My drawing should get better with practice. Keep up to date with Fistful of Metal by liking Princess Revolver on Facebook!

We’ve started a webcomic! It’s just for fun, so don’t expect museum quality art, but we think you’ll enjoy it. The comic is a cyberpunk-Western about the last human being in a world gone cyborg. Think of a mash-up of Sergio Leone, WWII movies, and pulp science fiction, and you’ve got FISTFUL OF METAL!

We’ll be updating at least a page every week. We’ll start with one 22-page issue, but the project and format may change after that. Like us on Facebook (in the sidebar) to be notified when new pages are posted. We welcome any comments and suggestions.